Alexandria, VA, August 23, 2010 — The Flight Safety Foundation applauds the efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority that have led to the announcement by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration that Nigeria has been upgraded to Category 1 in the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessments (IASA) program.
“Harold Demuren, director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and his team have worked tirelessly over the past few years to achieve this remarkable goal,” said William R. Voss, president and CEO of Flight Safety Foundation. “They launched this effort after the string of tragic accidents that took so many lives in Nigeria in 2006. Not only has the effort resulted in Nigeria becoming the first African country in decades to achieve Category 1 in IASA, it also greatly improved Nigeria’s aviation safety record.”
The IASA program assesses a country’s ability to adhere to international safety standards and recommended practices established by the International Civil Aviation Organization for aircraft operations and maintenance. Countries that are listed as Category 1 by the FAA are able to operate flights to and from the United States and develop code share agreements with U.S. airlines.
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Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, auditing, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation’s mission is to pursue the continuous improvement of global aviation safety and the prevention of accidents.
Contact: Emily McGee, Director of Communications, 1-703-739-6700, ext. 126; mcgee@flightsafety.org